Comparison

Helicopter Pilot Checkride vs AR Helicopter Training

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Helicopter Pilot Checkride

Prepare for your helicopter pilot practical exam with over 1700 questions and answers covering all essential topics. This app helps identify knowledge gaps and builds confidence for your checkride.

Highlights
  • Over 1700 questions and answers
  • Covers all checkride topics
  • Identifies strengths and weaknesses
  • Flag questions for further study
  • Based on FAA ACS standards
  • Includes FAA references
Features
Read full description

Using a question-and-answer format, Helicopter Pilot Checkride lists the questions most likely to be asked by examiners during the last step in the private pilot helicopter certification process – the Practical Exam – and provides succinct, ready responses. Applicants will find this App an indispensable tool in both planning for what to expect during the helicopter checkride, and mastering the subject matter. Instructors rate them as excellent preparation for students, as well as general refresher material. This Helicopter Pilot Checkride app is based on the popular Helicopter Pilot Oral Exam Guide book by Ryan Dale. It is designed for applicants training for a Private Pilot certificate with a helicopter rating. More than 1700 questions and responses ensure the subjects a helicopter pilot candidate will be tested on during checkrides and review flights are covered. Questions align with the knowledge topics, risk management, and skill tasks including scenario-based training elements in the Private Pilot for Helicopter Airman Certification Standards (FAA-S-ACS-15) and include these topics: preflight preparation, preflight procedures, airport and helicopter operations, hovering manuevers, takeoffs, landings and go-around, performance maneuvers, navigation, emergency operations, night operations, and postflight procedures. Answers and explanations were researched using FAA documents (which are identified so pilots know where to go for further study) as well as interviewing FAA examiners. Questions are supported with the ACS code and FAA references, and can be marked for further study from any subject to build your own collection of flashcards. Compatible with iOS phones and tablets, this app teaches applicants not only what to expect, but also how to exhibit subject mastery and confidence when under the examiner’s scrutiny. It identifies candidates’ strengths, weaknesses, and gaps in their aeronautical knowledge, which increases study efficiency. App features: • More than 1700 questions are included with succinct, ready responses. • Questions from any subject can be flagged for further study into a separate group. • Includes all the questions and answers from the popular book, Helicopter Pilot Oral Exam Guide Third Edition, by Ryan Dale. • Brought to you by a trusted resource in aviation training and publishing, Aviation Supplies & Academics (ASA).

About

AR Helicopter Training

This augmented reality application allows aspiring pilots to visualize and learn helicopter aerodynamics and maneuvers in an immersive way. It offers a portable pre-flight experience and a hover mini simulator, built by experienced helicopter pilots for beginners.

Highlights
  • Augmented reality visualization
  • Helicopter aerodynamics lessons
  • Maneuvers training
  • Immersive perspective learning
  • Portable pre-flight experience
  • Hover mini simulator
Read full description

PLEASE READ BEFORE BUYING THIS APP: This is an augmented reality app. Do NOT purchase this app if you cannot launch the experience in a well lit environment, or if you do NOT have an iPhone 14 or newer. Augmented reality requires a lot of power and anything under an iPhone 14 model will NOT perform well. Having said that, contact us directly if you have any issues. AR is a new technology and you might need some direction to launch this app properly to avoid any issues. AR Helicopter Training by Mauna Loa Helicopters & Augmented Island Studios, is the first spatial computing/augmented reality helicopter training software for beginner pilots. Our application allows students to visualize and learn helicopter flying aerodynamics and maneuvers lessons from an immersive perspective. In addition, our app offers a portable pre-flight experience and a hover mini sim. Our app was built by helicopter pilots, for helicopter pilots. Enjoy!

Screenshots

Helicopter Pilot Checkride4 screens
AR Helicopter Training4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: AR Helicopter Training at Free against Helicopter Pilot Checkride's $9.99. AR Helicopter Training also leads on rating (4.5 vs 2.6) and update cadence (every 11 days vs every 37 months). Helicopter Pilot Checkride's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 5). On ratings volume, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

AR Helicopter Training is free to download; Helicopter Pilot Checkride costs $9.99 up front. AR Helicopter Training sells 5 one-off in-app purchases. Helicopter Pilot Checkride asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

AR Helicopter Training holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 2.6. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 5 and 11 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 25% of Helicopter Pilot Checkride's written reviews are positive against 50% of AR Helicopter Training's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Helicopter Pilot Checkride ships an update every 37 months, AR Helicopter Training every 11 days. The most recent releases landed on October 22, 2026 and October 14, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
Helicopter Pilot Checkride versus AR Helicopter Training: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterHelicopter Pilot CheckrideAR Helicopter Training
Price$9.99Free — better
Rating2.6 (5 ratings)4.5 (11 ratings) — better
Positive reviews25.0% of reviews50.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings511 — better
Update frequencyEvery 37 monthsEvery 11 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationPaidFree with in-app purchases — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS14.0 — better15.0
Further details — not scored
Size9 MB1001 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperASAAugmented Island Studios

Customer experience

Helicopter Pilot Checkride

All ratings5 ratings
Positive20.0%
Neutral40.0%
Negative40.0%
Written reviews4 reviews
Positive25.0%
Neutral25.0%
Negative50.0%

AR Helicopter Training

All ratings11 ratings
Positive81.8%
Neutral9.1%
Negative9.1%
Written reviews4 reviews
Positive50.0%
Neutral25.0%
Negative25.0%

In-app purchases

None

Helicopter Pilot Checkride

No in-app purchases

5 purchases

AR Helicopter Training

One-time5
  • Test Starter Pack$12.99
  • Test Aviator Pack$15.99
  • Ground AddOn$19.99
Show 2 more
  • Buy Training$49.99
  • Training and Ground AddOn$59.99

Questions

Is Helicopter Pilot Checkride free?
Helicopter Pilot Checkride costs $9.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is AR Helicopter Training free?
AR Helicopter Training is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Helicopter Pilot Checkride or AR Helicopter Training?
AR Helicopter Training is rated higher. Helicopter Pilot Checkride averages 2.6 out of 5 from 5 ratings, while AR Helicopter Training averages 4.5 from 11 ratings.
Do Helicopter Pilot Checkride or AR Helicopter Training have ads?
Neither Helicopter Pilot Checkride nor AR Helicopter Training shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Helicopter Pilot Checkride or AR Helicopter Training?
Helicopter Pilot Checkride ships an update every 37 months, and AR Helicopter Training every 11 days. Most recently, Helicopter Pilot Checkride was updated on October 22, 2026 and AR Helicopter Training on October 14, 2026.

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